Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. Wins 2016 Franchise Times Dealmakers Award

Posted on February 18, 2016.

Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ:TACO), the second largest Mexican-American QSR chain by units in the United States, is pleased to announce that the company was named a winner in the fourth annual Franchise Times Dealmakers awards, recognizing the boldest players driving mergers and acquisitions in franchising.

The twelve 2016 Dealmakers award winners were selected by a panel of judges for showing creativity and sophistication in driving and executing the best franchise deals of the year. Del Taco was recognized for its successful June 2015 merger with Levy Acquisition Corp. (LAC) which resulted in Del Taco becoming a public company.

“Our merger with LAC marked a significant milestone for Del Taco as it facilitated our entrance into the public markets,” said Paul J.B. Murphy, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Del Taco. “This transaction has given us access to new resources, providing Del Taco and our franchise partners with unique strategic advantages on many levels, as we continue to expand across the nation. We are honored to receive this award and the industry’s recognition of our incredible success to-date.”

“We recognized the opportunity to invest in the iconic Del Taco brand as a smart business decision and continue to see great potential in this growing company. We are thrilled to have joined Del Taco on their journey as a publicly traded company and look forward to the future as we continue to carve out a unique space in the industry by providing an elevated QSR experience,” added Larry Levy, Chairman of Del Taco.

The fourth annual, 2016 Franchise Times Dealmakers awards drew a record number of submissions. Award winners were selected by a prestigious panel of judges, all experts in franchise M&A, from finalist nominations solicited by Franchise Times in the fourth quarter. The presentation of the 2016 Franchise Times Dealmakers awards will take place on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at a gala awards luncheon, a highlight of the Franchise Times Finance & Growth Conference at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. During the luncheon, the award winners will participate in a special panel to discuss the year’s most significant deals and the highly-anticipated 2016 Deal of the Year will also be revealed.

At Del Taco (NASDAQ: TACO, TACOW) all menu items taste better because they are made to order with fresh ingredients including cheddar cheese grated from 40-pound blocks, handmade pico de gallo salsa, lard-free beans slow-cooked from scratch, fresh sliced avocado and marinated chicken and carne asada grilled in the restaurant. The menu, which includes a full line of breakfast, includes classic Mexican dishes such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos as well as American favorites including hamburgers, crinkle-cut fries and shakes. Del Taco’s UnFreshing Believable campaign communicates the lengths the company goes to in order to deliver quality, made-to-order menu items created with freshly-prepared ingredients at unbelievable prices. With nearly 550 restaurants in 16 states, Del Taco serves more than three million guests each week. Stay up to date by following Del Taco on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit www.deltaco.com for more information.